Report: White Sox agree to 1-year, $1.95M deal with Michael A. Taylor

The Chicago White Sox added more outfield depth Tuesday, agreeing to a one-year, $1.95-million contract with former Gold Glove winner Michael A. Taylor, sources told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The deal also reportedly includes additional performance bonuses.

Taylor spent 2024 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, serving as their primary center fielder. He played up to his usual standard defensively, tallying 12 defensive runs saved and 11 outs above average in center.

However, his offense was another story, as he posted a career-worst .193/.253/.290 with five homers and 21 RBIs over 113 games before Pittsburgh designated him for assignment in September. Taylor's 50 wRC+ was the third-worst in baseball among hitters with at least 300 plate appearances last season.

The rebuilding White Sox are undoubtedly hoping Taylor's bat can rebound during the first half of the season so they can flip him to a contender before the deadline. While never a strong offensive player, Taylor has shown some pop in the past, notably hitting 21 homers for the Minnesota Twins in 2023.

Taylor will presumably be one of two outfielders on Chicago's bench to start the season, alongside fellow veteran Austin Slater. The 33-year-old will be called upon to spell Luis Robert Jr. in center and could also step into the full-time center-field role if the club trades Robert at some point in the campaign.

Taylor is a lifetime .235/.290/.381 hitter with 100 homers, 353 RBIs, 120 steals, and 77 defensive runs saved in center field across 11 big-league seasons. He won his only Gold Glove with Kansas City in 2021 and earned a World Series ring with the Washington Nationals in 2019.